Henschke Hill of Roses Shiraz 2022
- 97
- $495
- Drink by: 2026-2056
Share
For many, this is seen as a baby Hill of Grace, as it comes from the young vines in that vineyard. Well, when we say young, 33 years young at the moment, which would be considered old by many wineries. The wine spends twenty months maturing in older French oak hogsheads. The team at Henschke won’t consider incorporating fruit from these vines in its famous older sibling until they are at least 35 years of age, but even that milestone will be no guarantee. The fruit will need to be of sufficient quality and to fit the style required. In the meantime, we have this wonderful Shiraz from the Eden Valley. A gleaming purple/magenta, it is immediately obvious that this wine is still very much its youthful phase. There is good integration throughout, and the nose does give notes of chocolate, mocha, coffee beans, blackberries and blueberries, aniseed, cloves, cassis and cocoa powder. This is a stunning Hill of Roses, with complexity already evident, great length and perfect balance through to silky, cashmere-like tannins. A seductive and alluring texture completes the picture. Pristine and taut, this will be a star over the next thirty years. Love it, and I expect the score to nudge up a touch further.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
